Necessary Lies
by Gracielinn
Summary: When a stubborn, uncertain heart refuses to follow the mind's wishes, there's only one solution... Post Episode 5 story, multiple POV's, no spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One (Jessica)

" _The person you marry is not the person you divorce..." - Unknown_

She was standing at the counter beside the stove absently dunking a tea bag slowly up and down in a mug of boiling water when Wyatt, still wearing his old-timey clothes (the team called them 'costumes,' Jiya had kindly told her), walked into the kitchen area and sat at one of the tables. As he silently regarded her with what _might_ be interpreted as hope shining from those killer blue eyes, it occurred to Jessica that any forward movement in their relationship was strictly on her. Wyatt had already made his feelings and intentions clear.

After all, like most men, her husband had his pride (although to her chagrin, at times over the years, it seemed as if Wyatt Logan had pride enough for two men). She knew he loved her–even during particularly difficult times while they were together, like the long, lonely separations when his squad was deployed, the drinking, the other women–Jessica Logan was always sure her husband loved her. That had never been in question. Of course, she was no longer the naive girl from a hick town in West Texas who believed that love alone was enough to sustain a healthy, loving marriage.

She had to admit, though, to be fair, this version of Wyatt Logan (" _New Wyatt_?" Jessica mused idly) was already proving to be different, possibly better, in some ways than the man she loved and married ten years ago. And in this instance, whether or not he was _her_ Wyatt was besides the point, because she instinctively knew he wouldn't ask her again. Begging was just not his style, never had been.

Carefully setting her drink on the table, she dropped into a chair across from him. He sat quietly as she contemplated her mug of tea. Despite acting impulsively at times and possessing a hot temper, Wyatt could be surprisingly patient when he wanted to be, and in this particular instance, with both their futures on the line, Jessica was grateful for small mercies. Lost in her thoughts, she was startled when his warm hand covered hers. "Jess, I think your tea's gone cold," he teased, and she actually blushed at the amused glint in his eyes, the obvious affection, and yes, love, she saw reflected in his expression.

Directing an endearing grin at her ( _God, she never got tired of those dimples_ ), Wyatt stood, and picking up her mug, set it in the sink before holding out his hand. "C'mon, I don't think we need an audience," he coaxed, as right on cue, Rufus and Jiya came around the corner hand in hand and headed over to the television area, both giving her a casual wave before cuddling up together to watch a movie.

Turning back to Wyatt, Jessica nodded and allowed him to take her hand and lead her back to their room (more like an oversized closet, actually). Once he shut and locked the door, Wyatt perched on the side of a cot with his arms folded across his chest and looked up at her expectantly. Wanting to see his face while they talked, she chose to sit on the cot opposite him before taking a deep breath ( _you can do this, Jessica, it's the only way to be sure_ ).

"I've been doing a lot of thinking since last night, and I want to ask you something, okay?" At his hesitant nod, Jessica cleared her throat, a little dismayed at the faint tremor she heard in her voice. "In that hospital room, when that crazy red-haired woman was holding a knife to Lucy's throat, why didn't you take the shot? I mean, Lucy herself was telling you to do it."

Because Jessica knew Wyatt well and for so long, she immediately noticed, but for the moment chose to ignore, the way his jaw tightened at the mention of Lucy's name. Even as he frowned and opened his mouth to respond, she held her palms up and asked that he hear her out. She smiled inwardly at his reluctant nod, because that was also so him, and very familiar to her.

"Wyatt, unless this version of you really sucks at being a soldier, you've always been an excellent shot, steady, calm, almost emotionless," And at the fleeting-blink and you'd miss it-look of guilt that flashed across his face, Jessica had her answer. Pushing down a rather sharp pang at the not unexpected realization, she shook her head and said, "Never mind, that was probably an unfair question. I'm not trying to string you along about the divorce, I swear I'm not. It's just...this whole time travel thing has been a lot to process, you know, and also, I have to admit, the idea of being murdered in another time line is sort of messing with my head. But on top of that, since I got here, I guess I've been comparing this you with the you that I was married to, if that makes sense?" She felt better at his wary nod of understanding.

"Alright, no more stalling. I think I've made my decision, but before I tell you, you should know that while you were doing your Harry Houdini trick with the paper clip Lucy sneaked into your hand, and she and I were waiting out front, we sort of fell into a conversation about you and me." Now there was no mistaking the uneasy expression on Wyatt's face. Pushing on, Jessica clenched her hands together tightly and tried to keep her voice as calm as possible.

"Truthfully, after what I witnessed in that hospital room last night between you and Lucy, I decided it would be better for all of us if I just walked away, signed the divorce papers, and let you go," and when Wyatt stood abruptly with an anguished look on his face, Jessica took his hand and soothed, "Just hear me out, okay?"

Once a mollified Wyatt sat back down, she related everything Lucy told her, carefully searching her husband's face for any visible reaction, starting with Lucy's insistence that Wyatt loved his wife and had missed her every single day, risked losing his military career and going to prison just for a chance to get her back. She decided to omit that it was obvious, to Jessica at least, that Lucy was very much in love with him, and it was definitely in everyone's best interests if she kept the (unconfirmed) feeling that Wyatt had slept with Lucy to herself as well. ( _After all, he was here now, with her, wasn't he_?) She tried in vain not to get emotional, but Lucy's earnest words had touched her heart in her fervent attempt to make Jessica see Wyatt the way she did, and she started to get choked up.

By the time Jessica was finished, she and Wyatt both were crying, and when he sat beside her and put his arms around her, it was impossible to stop the flood of tears that soaked Wyatt's sweater. He tenderly kissed the top of her head and to her surprise, whispered, "I'm not going to insult you by pretending that I don't have feelings for Lucy, because I do. She is my teammate, my best friend, and that part at least, isn't going away anytime soon. But you're my wife, Jess, and I love you and want to be your husband, if you'll just give me a chance to prove it to you," and when he tipped her chin up and sweetly kissed her, Jessica couldn't help the warm rush of affection that filled her heart. She'd been right after all.

This new Wyatt _was_ a better man, who loved and wanted _her_ , even if she suspected he also loved Lucy Preston. Jessica did allow herself a slight flicker of remorse for the other woman's feelings, after all, she not only talked her out of leaving Wyatt, Lucy had also tried to protect her from the crazy redhead at the hospital. She liked Lucy, and it was entirely possible in another life time, she and the teacher might have been friends.

Still, none of that mattered now. Her husband had chosen her and their future together over Lucy, and after the way her Wyatt had treated Jessica the past couple of years in spite of regular couples counseling, she was (perhaps selfishly) eager to experience being married to this version of Wyatt. Happier than she had been in a good long while, Jessica Logan was cautiously optimistic they just might make this work.

 _A/N: Before I forget, a gigantic shout out to the awesome qwertygal and angellwings, who patiently cheer me up when all this angst gets me down...thank you, my Timeless friends. Also, even though there's lots of speculation floating around the fandom that Jessica Logan might be Rittenhouse, for purposes of this story-she isn't. Next chapter is Wyatt's turn for some introspection. Hope you all enjoy._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two (Wyatt)

" _The truth that survives is simply the lie that's pleasantest to believe..." - H.L. Mencken_

Standing at the bathroom door, he paused long enough to watch Lucy, injured arm cradled carefully against her, walk away from him after their slightly awkward encounter. His confused, battered heart ached just a little when she squared her narrow shoulders as if gearing up for an inevitable battle. For the briefest of seconds, the scent and feel of a freshly-showered Lucy in his arms had filled his senses when she bumped into him as she was leaving the bathroom, and Wyatt was immediately transported back to their 'morning after' in 1941...

Following an amazing night of loving intimacy, he and Lucy had thoroughly enjoyed every second with each other in the guest house's roomy, luxurious shower, content to remain in their own isolated little bubble for as long as possible. Those tender, precious hours were among some of the memories of them over the past year and a half that appeared to be permanently burned into his brain, despite his best efforts to the contrary. Although nearly impossible to forget, he was achingly aware nothing good could come of reliving that night or any of their moments spent together, not if he was going to commit to Jessica, and it definitely wasn't fair to Lucy.

Only after she disappeared around the corner did he sigh and go inside. In spite of experiencing a feeling of relief when Jessica agreed to give him and their marriage a second chance, Wyatt was dimly aware of a nagging sense of loss that clouded his potential happiness. His wife had freely admitted that Lucy had argued fiercely on his behalf and convinced Jess that he was not the same man she'd been prepared to divorce, and he was astonished and grateful. Not wanting to examine too closely her motives, he did understand it couldn't have been easy for her, and he was humbled by Lucy's selflessness even as a wave of guilt crept over him. She really was one of the most amazing women he'd ever known.

Bending under the barely warm stream of water cascading over his body, Wyatt wondered pensively how it was possible to gain _and_ lose everything he'd ever wanted in one fell swoop. Lucy's soft declaration, " _You deserve to finally be happy, Wyatt,_ " echoed around his mind. Was it some lingering sense of guilt that made him imagine her faint emphasis on the word 'finally'? What the hell was that supposed to mean? How could Lucy fail to understand how important she was to him? That as a result of their time together during all these insane, dangerous months, _she_ had given him a new purpose in life and made him happy?

Maybe his choice of words hadn't been exactly crystal clear, but he'd told her beside the pool in 1941 that she saved him–did she not believe it? Lucy's faltering smile in response to his well-intentioned (albeit thoughtless) declaration of his own ( _"I have no regrets"_ ) unfortunately failed to reach her sad, dark eyes, and along with her tentative, " _Me, either,_ " naturally did little to reassure Wyatt. Dammit, he was just so uncomfortable expressing his feelings, had never been any good at it, and in the back of his head, he resolved that he would try to do better at stuff like this with Jess.

Jesus, the second the words 'Baby Doll' left his lips, he figured out pretty quickly it was probably not the best thing to say when Lucy's face instantly fell even as she managed a strained smile and valiantly played along, just like the last time he'd called her that in a lame attempt to deny how much their kiss in front of Bonnie and Clyde had affected him. God, it seemed like every time Wyatt turned around, he was hurting her, and it killed him. She deserved so much better than what was happening right now, deserved to be happy, and deep in his heart, he'd probably known it practically from the day he met her.

Wyatt suddenly felt an irrational stab of annoyance, however, that Lucy hadn't acted all that convinced when he told her he had no regrets. About them, about sleeping together, none of it. Of course he meant it–how could she doubt him? ( _Uh, maybe because you dumped her basically a day after hopping into bed with her, asshole._ )

He shivered as a dark thought pushed its ugly way into his head–could it be after the way he had treated her so carelessly, with such little regard, that she was starting to have misgivings about him? Wyatt sucked in a painful breath at even the slightest possibility that after everything the two of them had been through together, Lucy's faith in him could have been shaken, and she might not trust him as much in the future. The loss of her trust was frightening to consider because it was everything to him, practically the very foundation of their relationship, almost from the beginning.

At least he'd had undeniable proof of her absolute trust in him just hours before in that hospital room. Wyatt had never in his life felt such icy fear as, hands flexing restlessly on his weapon, he had frozen for the first time in his military career. Everything around him, including his wife, faded away, and all Wyatt could see was Lucy's wide, frightened eyes boring into him and her pale face, tight with pain and fear as Emma carelessly held the business end of a deadly-looking knife against the soft, vulnerable skin of her slender neck. All he could hear over the thunderous pounding of his heart was the low, eerily calm tone of Lucy's voice when she reminded Wyatt that the redhead was Rittenhouse's only pilot and ordered him to take the shot.

Even as part of his mind was calmly, methodically running every conceivable scenario of how this should play out, his terrified heart was screaming in indecision, and damn her, Emma seemed to easily sense and enjoy his torment just a little too much.

Wyatt instantly comprehended from the second she taunted him, a dangerous, triumphant gleam in her eyes, about how maybe Lucy's life didn't matter anymore now that he had his wife back, that Rittenhouse had likely always been aware of his weakness when it came to her, his teammate, friend, lover. His stomach churned uneasily in grudging acceptance of the fact that loving Lucy Preston made him vulnerable in a way Wyatt had _never_ allowed before, not even when he and Jess were together.

Ducking his head under the tepid spray, Wyatt gritted his teeth and made a determined effort to stop thinking about Lucy and their only night together. Difficult and heartbreaking as it had been, the decision was made, and he couldn't afford to let his feelings for her interfere with this miraculous chance to save his marriage that Fate or God ( _or maybe the Force_ ) had bestowed on him. After all, Wyatt reasoned, he was a different man now, older, more mature, and willing to prove to his wife that whatever it took to be a better husband this time around, he was all in. After the events of six years ago, he owed it to Jessica to give her 100 percent of himself this time around, and sadly, that meant he and Lucy would have to go back to being just teammates, and someday, he fervently hoped, friends again.

Brooding about Lucy served no useful purpose, and even though Wyatt knew her well enough by now to know when she was suffering (his Lucy was a terrible poker player), her incredibly generous gift of going to bat for him with Jess deserved every bit of his respect for the dignified way she chose to handle the impossible circumstances. And while Wyatt felt a deep regret with every fiber of his being at essentially saying goodbye to his best friend and any of the possibilities they had just begun to explore, in his mind, this decision dictated that, at the very least, a clean break going forward was necessary. As much as it would hurt him, Lucy deserved no less.

 _A/N: Honestly, the whole idea for this story came from that last scene of the episode with Wyatt and Lucy. Even though it only lasted about one minute, I got so many feels (good and bad), that it inspired me to write this. Next up, the last chapter from Lucy's POV._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three (Lucy)

" _Having your heart broken is the easy part; knowing when to move on is the challenge..." - Unknown_

Once Wyatt and Rufus had safely returned young John to 1934 (and brought back a clearly peeved Flynn), things seemed to settle down after the lifeboat landed, with everyone scattering to the four corners (as it were) after a quick mission debriefing. So it was when her new reality finally came crashing down around her that Lucy found refuge in the one location in the bunker where she could be alone–the bathroom. It was not exactly an inviting place, always perpetually damp (like the others, she ignored the persistent musty smell). Still, when the door was wedged shut, a person could have some semblance of privacy in which to do, well, any number of private things, for a few minutes, anyway.

Once she was inside with the chair firmly in place, Lucy set her towel and clean clothes down and dropped onto the rug beside the sink, breathing carefully in and out. Pulling her knees up under her chin, she began to tremble and gasp as the events of the past twenty four hours played on a continuous loop in her mind. At last, the tears Lucy had struggled to hold back for what felt like years began to trickle down her face.

From the minute she woke up yesterday morning from her fevered dreams with Wyatt's name on her lips (oh, how she despised her weakness for him) and learned from a sympathetic Jiya that the guys had left her behind, it had been one blow after another. While she appreciated her friend's concern for her personal well being (nice to know someone cared if she lived or died), it didn't change the fact that the man she had been gradually falling in love with for months now was no longer single in any way, shape, or form. No, Ma'am, Master Sergeant Logan was not only married, but his very much alive wife was somewhere right here in the bunker. A little fact that definitely made Lucy Preston the 'other woman'-something that would never be acceptable, _ever_.

" _How_ ," she wondered bleakly, " _could she even begin to avoid Jessica now_?" This hell hole was getting more crowded by the day, it seemed, and Lucy's claustrophobia was never far beneath the surface as it was. Even thinking about it made her heart speed up and her breathing quicken, all the while her tears fell harder. She indulged her overwhelming sorrow for a only few devastating moments, fully aware of her limited time in here (hey, she could do the math–one bathroom for seven people?).

Besides, Lucy was not a pretty crier. Nope, her eyes swelled and got puffy, and big red splotches tended to bloom across her face. No way in hell would she ever give anyone, least of all the newly-reconciled Mr. and Mrs. Logan, even the slightest physical proof of her anguish. She could just imagine it now–Wyatt would stare at her with those amazing blue eyes and give her one of his sweet, guilty puppy dog looks, and Jessica, well, she'd probably make Lucy a freakin' cup of hot tea. No, thank you.

More angry now than sad, Lucy grabbed a piece of toilet paper and blew her nose before undressing and stepping into the shower area. Even after letting the water run a few minutes, it was barely lukewarm. " _Did the water in this place ever get warmer than tepid?_ " she reflected crossly, " _Even the damn tea that Jessica made for me yesterday had been hotter_." She cringed at the bitterness of her thoughts.

Concentrating on her shower, Lucy scolded herself for slipping so easily into self pity and taking cheap shots (at least in her head) about Jessica, although the other woman's casual dismissal of Lucy's degree and profession yesterday still rankled. She really had no one to blame for today's edition of heartbreak, though, but herself. After that insane encounter with Emma in the hospital room that resulted in whatever Jessica thought she saw, Wyatt's wife had declared her intention to walk, in essence, to let Lucy 'have him,' so to speak.

And she had been so incredibly tempted (Eve in the Garden of Eden tempted) for like, all of three seconds before the voice of reason stepped on and over Lucy's heart and persuaded Jessica to stay, to give Wyatt the chance to prove he wasn't the guy who had apparently (in this time line) treated his wife so poorly that divorce was the only answer. Now, sure, her Wyatt was infuriatingly stubborn at times, and could be impulsively reckless, but Lucy didn't recognize the man Jessica Logan was describing at all, especially the part about cheating. Wyatt? That just made no sense to her.

Mentally shaking her head, Lucy did her very best to convince the blonde, who had the power to make Wyatt Logan a whole man again, to not run away, to work with him on their struggling marriage together. Her friend, her teammate, her lover (for one night), deserved to finally be happy, and Lucy was painfully aware that it wasn't her he wanted or needed...

She swore as her eyes began to fill again. Dammit, this was ridiculous. She was stronger than this (she had to be). Hastily finishing her less-than-refreshing shower, Lucy got dressed, and pushing aside the chair, threw open the door and blindly ran into a solid wall of muscle. Aww, hell, it _would_ have to be him–absolutely the last person Lucy wanted to see right now.

Wyatt's arms instinctively tightened around her even as Lucy gasped in surprise. God, he smelled so good. She loved his natural male scent, especially when she woke up the morning after in 1941 feeling as if every inch of her smelled like him. It made her feel like she truly belonged to him. And enjoyable as the spacious guest house shower was (she'd never made love in the shower before, and it had been glorious), Lucy had been rather sorry to wash away the musky traces of Wyatt. Okay, these kind of thoughts were not helping. On further reflection, she wondered sadly if maybe it had been a mistake to cross that line with him after all, because so far, it was really making this whole Jessica mess that much harder to bear.

" _Focus, Lucy,_ " she ordered herself sternly. Breathlessly mumbling an apology, Lucy barely heard Wyatt murmur, "Sorry," when she pulled herself away from him and turned to escape. With her dangerously raw emotions just beneath the surface, Lucy was terrified of betraying her feelings and embarrassing herself. As (bad) luck would have it, she only got a few steps from Wyatt when he called out her name. Swallowing hard, Lucy turned around to see Wyatt eying her uncertainly before quietly telling her, "Thank you."

She didn't understand. Her brows drew together before asking, "For what?" Wait, why was he walking towards her?

Wyatt shrugged before replying, "Jessica's giving me a second chance, and she said it was 'cause of you."

Great. Lucy hadn't really wanted Wyatt to know she had interfered or had anything to do with their reconciliation. God, the way he was looking at her so intently, she struggled to say the right thing without bursting into tears and begging him to choose _her_.

Thinking frantically, Lucy came up with something lame about how the history he and Jessica had was special ( _mental note to self: I am never going to visit Hawaii, let alone surf there_ ), and then, miraculously, she pulled herself together, and the words that she felt Wyatt needed to hear fell from her lips.

"You deserve to finally be happy, Wyatt," but oddly, he didn't react the way she would have imagined. If anything, he looked...sad? Wyatt took a few more steps in her direction, and stopping right in front of Lucy, gazed at her solemnly and assured her, "I have no regrets." _Um, okay then, are we really gonna do this, right here and now?_

This time, her immediate (but still heartfelt) response of, "Me, either," must have satisfied him on some level because his face brightened, and he gave her a half smile and teased gently, "I'll see you around the bunker, Baby Doll."

Oh, Wyatt, no, just no. Please, no reminders of their first kiss. Sheer pride enabled Lucy to answer in the way he was clearly hoping for, "See you around the bunker...Schweet-heart," and his pleased grin shattered what was left of her heart. Practically able to physically feel the little pieces floating around inside her, she managed a brief, insincere smile before turning away from him and finally escaping to her room.

Shutting and locking the door, Lucy threw herself on the cot and cried until there was simply nothing left within her. She gazed up at the ceiling, feeling curiously empty. There. It was over. She had done everything within her power to help Wyatt and Jessica save their marriage. Yet, somehow Wyatt's guilt and perpetual desire to do the right thing had driven him to seek Lucy out for her, what? blessing? approval? Judging by the relieved expression on his handsome face when he called her 'Baby Doll' (guess he thought she'd enjoy hearing _that_ term of endearment again), she must have delivered the goods, perhaps eased his mind over her, so now he could feel free to pursue the 'open road' with his wife with a clear conscience. " _At least Wyatt will be happy now with Jessica,_ " Lucy told herself, and it would have to be enough. It was all she ever wanted for him, because she loved him, and sadly, always would.

 _A/N: And that's Lucy's version of the events in Episode 5. I think Lucy Preston is my favorite female character on television right now (before Timeless, it was Kate Beckett from Castle), and boy, are the show runners really putting our girl through the wringer this season. Like all of you, I want very much to see a Season Three, 'cause 26 episodes of this amazing series is. just. not. enough... Thanks to everyone for reading, I appreciate the support :))_


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